Survivor: A Chaotic Future Side Story
by Arius Miura de Galdri
Summary: Pare, survivor of planet Vegeta's destruction, must find his place in the universe while struggling with one question: avenge his fallen people or live out the rest of his life in secluded safety. His decision will alter the fates of two universes...
1. Part One: Exodus

_**Pare, adviser to King Vegeta, has survived Frieza's destruction of his home world. Along with his young wife Kiera, he escapes the annihilation of his race and settles on the remote planet of Iquela.**_

_**But as years turn to decades, Pare never forgets Frieza's betrayal, and as dreams of a group of Saiyans living on a distant world plague his nights, Pare must choose between abandoning his young son to the wilds of Iquela, or loosing every chance of reuniting with others of his race.**_

_**As Pare struggles with this dilemma, he is unaware that his decision will ultimately change the fates of **_**two**_** universes…**_

"**Survivor."**

**(Pare's Tale)**

– **A "Chaotic Future" Side Story –**

**PART ONE:**

**EXODUS**

Bardock staggered in.

All conversation ceased as every eye in the room locked on the third-class Saiyan warrior, who stood trembling and broken before them. Every breath seemed to be a labor for Bardock, whose armor was shattered beyond recognition, with blood seeping from a dozen wounds, dripping steadily on the floor below him. When he spoke, his voice was soft and filled with a sense of desperation; it carried across the silent chamber, reaching the ears of the royal adviser who sat alone, gazing intently into the untouched drink before him, seemingly lost in some inner turmoil of his own.

"Listen, everybody it… its Frieza!" Bardock uttered, leaning against the doorframe to support his badly beaten body. "He's coming for us…"

At this, the adviser looked up, his dark eyes widening with shock. Of all assembled within the palace's recreational chamber, he alone knew of his King's all or nothing mission, which had been carried out in secret earlier that night. For too long the Saiyan race had bowed down before Frieza, carrying out his every order. That is, until the changeling tyrant had overstepped his bounds, abducting Prince Vegeta and holding him captive deep within the bowels of his ship, which was even now orbiting the Saiyan's home world. The King, with a handful of his strongest and most trusted men, had launched a secretive mission in hopes of sneaking aboard Frieza's ship and dispatching the ruthless overlord, and to recover the young Prince.

_If Bardock is correct_, the adviser thought as several of the room's more intoxicated patrons flung cold jokes and heartless insults at the injured Bardock, _then perhaps this is a retaliatory strike against us for the King's attempted coup…_ He stood slowly to his feet, making his way cautiously toward the back exit.

"Us?" asked one particularly drunk Saiyan. "You mean _you_, right?"

"No, _us_," Bardock repeated, gasping for breath. "You, me, everyone here… It's true; he's scared of us, he wants us all dead… My whole crew is dead thanks to that freak!" Some of the Saiyan's former strength must have then returned to him, for he stood up straighter, taking a deep breath as he attempted to block out the tremendous pain that must have been tearing through him.

Laughter and disbelief met this statement, as those other Saiyans in the bar assumed that Bardock was simply overreacting. Several of the gathered warriors openly insulted the battered third-class before them, teasing him and pushing him far beyond his breaking point.

"Fools, you're all dead!" he cried out savagely, silencing the entire room once again. When he continued, his voice was once again soft and full of exhaustion and pain. "He's on his way…" Someone in the crowd called out to him, but he didn't respond. Instead, using the wall for support, Bardock slipped slowly from the room, shaking his head in dismay. "Fine, believe what you want to believe, but I'm gonna try and stop him!" Summoning from somewhere within his broken body a new reserve of strength, Bardock dashed away, determined to do everything in his power to save his people.

The adviser, the only Saiyan in the chamber who took Bardock's words to heart, silently slipped out through the back entrance, his mind filled with one thought and one thought only as he ran through the corridors toward his own chambers:

_We have to get away from here… Kiera and I _must_ escape planet Vegeta!_

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The door exploded inward.

A young woman, the room's only occupant, leapt up from her seat by the window, assuming a defensive stance that immediately relaxed when her dark eyes settled on the black-cloaked man who nearly _jumped_ into the middle of the chamber. At the sight of her husband so obviously afraid, the slender woman, little more than a girl really, ran a pale hand through her unruly, thick black hair.

"Pare, what's going on?" she asked, her voice strong and confident as she addressed the man who had just recently become her husband. The marriage, an arranged affair meant to increase her family's prominence in the eyes of the royal court, had been set up by her father, and there was little love between the new husband and wife. It wasn't that Pare—who was the highest ranked and most trusted of all King Vegeta's advisers, despite his young age—was a bad man, on the contrary, he was kind and gentle to her, and a powerful warrior in his own right. The two were simply _too _different.

Pare ignored his young wife's question, instead pulling a small traveling bag from underneath their shared bed and tossing it quickly into her arms. When he finally turned to look at her, the black-haired girl noticed the look of barely-concealed dread that seemed to haunt her husband's coal-black eyes. After a moment Pare looked away, small droplets of sweat scattering into the air from his short, vertically-spiked dark hair.

"Fill that with as much as you can, _quickly_," he ordered tersely. "We have to leave, and I'm afraid I've already wasted too much time…" Nearly leaping over the bed, Pare went to the room's large window, throwing it open and leaning out, his eyes scanning the sky for some sign that only _he_ could decipher. "_Now_, Kiera!" he said, louder and more vehemently than he had intended. "There's little time!"

"Time for what?" Kiera asked as she began shoving anything and everything that she could get her hands on into the bag. "Pare, you aren't making any sense!"

"Frieza."

That one word, uttered quietly yet laced with terror, froze Kiera in place. The half-full bag fell from limp fingers as she mouthed the name, no sound escaping her voice. Pare, sensing her distress, walked over and took hold of the young woman's wrist, snapping her out of her apparent daze.

"We're leaving, right now." Without another word, Pare and Kiera exited their chamber through the broken doorway, dashing down the corridor toward the palace's private space port, where they would hopefully find a usable space pod.

Where they would hopefully find salvation…

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Pare and Kiera entered the hangar.

The couple had barely taken ten steps when a group of six men, all Frieza's private soldiers, moved forward to block their way. Each of the six men was attired in uniforms similar to those worn by the Saiyans, though they also opted for conical white helmets and forearm-mounted energy blasters. Pare looked sidelong at Kiera, who gave the briefest of nods in response to his unspoken question.

"And just where are the two of _you _going?" one of the soldiers asked, absently stroking the blaster on his right arm. "I doubt that you just happen to be out on a stroll." His eyes flicked toward the small bag of belongings that Kiera had taken from her and Pare's chamber. "What's in the bag?" he asked, clearly suspicious.

"Please, just let us through," Pare softly requested, locking eyes with the soldier who had spoken, and who was most likely the squadron's leader. "We _have_ to get off this planet, and you should do the same, if you know what's good for you…"

"If we know what's good for us?" another of the men repeated, chuckling to himself. "What the hell's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Shut up," the leader ordered, flashing a stern glare back at his men. "Listen buddy," he said, returning his attention to Pare, "we've been given very specific orders _not_ to let anyone off the planet's surface. It seems a group of terrorists led an attack against Lord Frieza and his most trusted men. These terrorists, they say, were _Saiyans_."

"I know nothing of this," Pare lied, sweat trickling down the back of his neck. "What… What happened to these 'terrorists,' then?" Asking this question was difficult, for the royal adviser found his mouth suddenly very dry.

"Killed, the lot of them," the squadron leader replied with a smirk. "Honestly, what did a bunch of dirty Saiyans think they were gonna accomplish against Lord Frieza?" At this, Kiera seemed on the verge of tearing the man's throat out with her bare hands, but a slight gesture from Pare stopped her.

_Dead… All dead_, Pare thought with despair. _Our King has been killed by Frieza. I… I can't believe it!_ He clenched his eyes shut in a vain attempt to stop the sudden pounding of his head, for he simply couldn't wrap his mind around the possibility that King Vegeta had been murdered, along with all of his strongest men. Kiera reached out and gently laid her hand on Pare's arm as his eyes snapped open once more.

"That is unfortunate news indeed," Pare said quietly, preparing to move past the group of soldiers. "I understand that you are only fulfilling your duty by obeying Frieza's orders, but my wife and I are under no such restrictions." He lifted his eyes, once again locking gazes with the lead soldier. "We obey only our King, and he has issued no such orders. Now," Pare continued, his voice taking on a hint of malice, "_step aside_."

Chaos suddenly erupted as the soldiers' leader leapt back, aiming his blaster directly at Pare. Before a shot could be fired, however, the royal adviser seemed to vanish, only to appear moments later _behind_ the head soldier. With a swift roundhouse kick, Pare leveled his weaker opponent, driving him into the opposite wall. The air was filled by this point with energy, as the remaining five enemies all took aim and began firing on Pare, who easily dodged each and every blast effortlessly. He dashed forward, taking three of the soldiers with him as he leapt into the air, dodging and lashing out with every chance he got. First one fell to the floor of the hangar, followed shortly after by the others, who were drilled into the ground by a single burst of shimmering blue-white energy.

Pare dropped, hitting the ground and spinning immediately, assuming a defensive stance in preparation for the blows that were sure to come from the remaining two soldiers. For a moment he was stunned, for no attacks of any sort came, and silence filled the massive chamber. As the rush of battle slowly ebbed, Pare looked over his shoulder to see one of Frieza's henchmen pinned to the ground, his neck being crushed mercilessly by Kiera's right foot. The final enemy, or rather what was left of him, could be seen just behind the Saiyan woman, acrid black smoke wafting up from his charred remains.

"Thank you," Pare muttered, unable to find anything else to say.

"Thank me when we're out of this, _husband_," Kiera replied tersely, walking briskly past the dark-haired man as she sought out a suitable space pod. "I don't believe this," she said, her voice sounding hushed with shock. "Those bastards launched all of the pods, probably on Frieza's orders… All but one, anyway." She turned around, looking to her husband with pleading eyes. "What'll we do now?"

"We'll do what we must," Pare responded, his hatred for Frieza suddenly threatening to burn throughout his entire body. "We'll do what we must…"

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The pod burst through the atmosphere of planet Vegeta.

Pare shifted slightly, doing his best to provide as much comfort as possible for his young wife, which was proving to be much more difficult than he could have ever imagined. The fact of the matter was, Saiyan space pods were _not_ meant to carry two full-grown adults; as if that weren't bad enough, the addition of the small, half-filled bag of belongings made the tight space even worse.

_I pray that we aren't stuck together in here for too long_, Pare thought wearily, sweat beading profusely on his brow. _She can barely stand the sight of me as it is, after a few days crammed together in here I think she'll be ready to kill me!_

"Stop sweating so much," Kiera said, her voice bitter. "You're stinking the whole damn pod up."

"Forgive me," Pare replied sarcastically, shifting his body just enough to push Kiera a little harder against the pod's side. "I'm not accustomed to having a whale like you sitting on top of me, that's all." The moment he said it, Pare regretted his words.

"Oh, a _whale_ am I?"

"I didn't—"

Kiera turned her head around to face her husband, her dark eyes flashing with anger, her delicate brow furrowed. In the back of his mind, Pare couldn't help but laugh at the fact that _her_ brow was perspiring even worse than his own! His amusement at this discovery was soon soured, for when Kiera spoke, she nearly _spat_ with vehemence.

"If I'm such a bother, dear _husband_, then why did you go through all the trouble of rushing away from the terrible 'danger' that is about to befall our world?" Her question was a fair one, for Pare had said nothing of King Vegeta's failed mission, or of Bardock's cryptic warning. "I may be your wife, as much as I _hate_ to admit such a thing, but I do _not_ have to let you treat me like… like nothing but luggage!" The temperature within the pod was steadily rising, most likely due to the aura of hot rage that had begun to emanate from Kiera.

"Woman, I swear—"

Further conversation was cut off as an ear-shattering detonation went off behind them, and a violent shockwave tore through space around them. Their small pod was tossed about like a leaf in a hurricane, battering the two Saiyans and instantly ending any argument between them. A brilliant flash of dazzling orange and red light shone about them, illuminating the void of space and nearly blinding Pare and Kiera, who were forced to shield their eyes. Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, the light died down, and the roaring tumult that had so savagely rocked their small craft lessened more and more, until they were once again drifting silently through the darkness around them.

"Pare," Kiera asked, her eyes wide with unconcealed fear, "what… what was that?" For several moments no answer was forthcoming, prompting the young woman to turn her head to see make sure her husband was actually conscious. She gasped, for upon Pare's face Kiera glimpsed something that she'd never before seen from any Saiyan man.

Quietly, his cheeks glistening with newly-shed tears, Pare spoke a single word:

"Vegeta…"

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The impact rocked the surrounding countryside.

For miles around, every living creature scattered, doing their best to put as much distance between themselves and the massive, newly-created crater as possible. Dust and smoke rose into the sky as echoes of the Saiyan space pod's ungraceful landing reverberated off the distant mountains, breaking the relative silence of the serene landscape around them. Minutes passed, and eventually silence returned.

The spacecraft's single hatch opened and, on shaky legs, Pare exited and surveyed their surroundings. The crater caused by the pod's landing rose up on all sides, obstructing most of his view, but around the edges he could just make out the motionless forms of fallen trees. Gesturing to Kiera to remain within the pod, Pare moved slowly forward until he was able to peer out over the edge of the landing site.

For miles around all that the Saiyan adviser could see was green. A massive, seemingly endless forest stretched on around him, with only the distant range of mountains to break up the monotonous view. He turned, shading his eyes with an upraised hand as he stared into the brilliant pink and orange glow of this world's setting sun, and was unsurprised to find the view to the rear much the same: an endless see of green, swaying slightly in the light dusk breeze.

"So, what kind of backwater planet have you dragged me to, anyway?" Kiera asked, having ignored her husband's order to remain inside the space pod. "Do you really think it matters where we hide, Pare? I mean, Frieza will find us; and when he does, he'll kill us just like the others." The young woman crossed her arms over her chest, leveling a spiteful glare at her husband.

"This is Iquela," Pare replied, ignoring the scorn in his wife's eyes. "And it is entirely outside of Frieza's sphere of influence. Trust me, woman, we'll be safe enough here…"

"Why bother anyway?" Kiera shook her head and walked brazenly past Pare to stand beneath the tall, swaying trees that lined the crater's edge. "Maybe you didn't notice, _husband_, but the Saiyan race is all but extinct. We may as well let that maniac destroy us…"

Pare clenched his fists and tried to ignore the disdain that accompanied Kiera's voice when she'd said "husband." _Why does she hate me so?_ he wondered, as he had many times before. Realizing that dwelling on such things was futile, Pare made his way to the top of the crater, coming to a stop beside his young wife.

"But the Saiyan race isn't dead," Pare said softly, placing a hand upon Kiera's tense shoulder. "_We_ have survived, Kiera…"

At this, the dark-haired woman turned her head, meeting Pare's gaze evenly. There, within her eyes, the former adviser to King Vegeta saw a conflict of emotions, the most prevalent of which were contempt, a little fear, and most of all surrender. With a barely audible sigh, Kiera closed her dark eyes and turned away, hugging her shoulders as a sudden chill overcame her.

"It's up to us, Kiera," Pare continued, gazing solemnly across the expansive forest view. "It's up to us to continue the Saiyan race… And to avenge our people."

_To be continued…_

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_**Coming soon:**_

_**Years turn to decades as Pare struggles to survive on the harsh world of Iquela. When a mysterious warrior comes to him in a dream and tells him of more Saiyans living on Earth, and the danger about to befall them, will Pare undertake the long and dangerous journey to give them what aid he can? Or will the Saiyan race finally be annihilated?**_

"_**Survivor."**_

_**(Pare's Tale)**_

_**PART TWO:**_

_**DREAM**_


	2. Part Two: Dream

"**Survivor."**

**(Pare's Tale)**

– **A "Chaotic Future" Side Story –**

**PART TWO:**

**DREAM**

The beast ran.

Only seconds behind, Pare, clad in animal skins and dashing bare-foot through the wilderness, chased after his prey, ignoring the stinging sensation as small limbs snapped back and struck his weathered face. The creature was incredibly fast, for there were very few things on Iquela that provided such an excellent workout for the Saiyan warrior, and its powerful jaws and heavily armored body made it a challenging opponent for this morning's workout. Suddenly the forest ended, and the massive, six-legged reptilian beast lowered it's flat, broad head as it found itself in an unobstructed clearing, where it would now be able to utilize its full speed.

_Have to do this quick, or else I'll lose it!_ Pare thought, pulling one hand back as he gathered energy for a sudden attack. _Hopefully this will at least stun it long enough for me to close in!_ With a grunt of exertion, the former royal adviser shot his hand forward, launching a sphere of shimmering blue ki which struck the beast in the rear, causing it to let loose with a skull-shattering roar of anger. The force from the blow, though, was enough to cause the monster to stagger, and in that moment, Pare was upon it.

Leaping high into the air, the Saiyan landed atop the stumbling creature, gripping tight to its thick, leathery neck with his knees. For a moment, Pare was afraid that he'd overestimated himself, for as the reptilian beast thrashed back and forth, the dark-eyed warrior was nearly thrown to the ground half a dozen times. Finally, though, Pare managed to lean forward enough to grab the beast's upper jaw, which he began pulling up, ignoring the rows of sharp, needle-like teeth that dug into his callused fingers and palms. Realizing the potentially deadly situation that it was in, the massive creature redoubled its efforts to throw the Saiyan from its back, but to no avail. With a sickening _snap_, the monster's entire upper jaw folded backward, ending its struggle almost instantaneously.

Pare leapt off from the dead creature's back, wiping his bloodied hands clean on the front of his animal skin tunic. Without even taking a moment to catch his breath, Pare stepped forward and, with an amazing display of strength, lifted the beast's carcass onto his back, grunting slightly with the effort. Now, with his prey defeated, the former adviser turned and began the long trek back to the place that he'd come to call home.

And back to the only other living person on the entire planet.

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Night fell.

As Pare came over the top of the ridge that surrounded the small valley that he'd called home for the last two-and-a-half decades, he saw a figure moving near the large bonfire that provided both heat and protection from Iquela's nocturnal denizens. He paused for a moment, taking in his surroundings, finding it—for the moment at least—hard to remember all of the hardships that he'd been through over the past twenty-odd years.

And all of the loss.

"Boy!" he shouted, making his way carefully down the embankment, the massive reptilian carcass tossed easily across his back. "What are you doing fooling around? Get the tools and prepare this; remember, the meat is edible, and the hide is—"

"The hide is valuable for both protection and insulation, yes I know," the child, a boy of about seven years, said, his voice sounding incredibly exasperated. "I'm not a little kid, Father; I _know_ how to take care of one of those." With that the boy, who was nearly a mirror image of his father, made his way into a nearby cave which served as both storage area and shelter for the two Saiyans.

Pare watched his son, Hanzo, and was struck for a moment by an emotion that had once been alien to him, but now seemed all too commonplace: regret. _If only you could see him, Kiera_, the former adviser thought to himself, glancing up into Iquela's star-filled sky, the ribbon of a nearby asteroid belt cutting through the blackness of space. _He'll be a fine warrior one day, and together he and I will avenge our people, I swear it…_

For years Pare and his young wife had struggled to survive on Iquela, a task that proved more difficult than either Saiyan would have imagined. Added to that, the stress of trying single-handedly to restore the Saiyan race had taken its toll on Kiera, who had suffered miscarriage after miscarriage, until finally Hanzo had been born. The strain of labor, after having suffered so much, was more that Kiera could take, and she had died shortly after, ending all hope for the doomed race of brave warriors. And still, despite all of their time together, despite the years and decades of solitude with only one another for comfort, Kiera had still hated her husband, even at the end.

"Father?" a quiet voice asked, snapping Pare out of his momentary daze.

"What is it, Hanzo?" the older Saiyan asked, looking down at his son, who stood ready with the crude and primitive tools that would be necessary for taking what was needed from the monstrous carcass, which was still lying across Pare's broad shoulders.

"Are you going to put that down, or do you want me to get started even as you hold it?" Hanzo asked, flashing his father an insolent grin. To prove his readiness, the boy leapt atop the beast, a sharp stone knife held at the ready, causing Pare to lose balance and fall to the ground, laughing.

"Just get to it, you little bastard," Pare replied, standing to his feet and dusting himself off. "I'm going to rest for awhile; you know what to do if anything happens." Turning his back on the child, Pare entered the small cave and, finding what comfort he could, the Saiyan warrior nodded off to sleep.

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As it had been for the last several nights, the dream was the same.

"_There has to be another pod!" Kiera shouted frantically, running to and fro around the now-empty hangar in her vain search. "They couldn't have launched all of them, could they?"_

_Pare made no answer as he too tried to find any other way for the two of them to escape, other than the option that he'd already put forth. _I don't understand why she's so adamant about finding her own pod; do I disgust her so much?_ he thought, shaking his head. _Besides, I'm not exactly looking forward to the idea of being crammed inside a single pod with her either, but we're wasting valuable time here!

_Suddenly something caught his eye, and the Saiyan adviser walked slowly toward a nearby terminal, where a faint green light could be seen blinking rhythmically on and off—the signal that a recently-launched space capsule was away safely, with no complications. For reasons that he himself was unsure of, Pare brought up the information for the launch, finding to his surprise that a Saiyan child, a third-class warrior named Kakarot, had barely an hour before been sent away, to a planet called "Earth."_

Earth.

_From what Pare could recall Earth was a backwater, inconsequential world just beyond the sphere of Frieza's influence. Its people were weak and its technology primitive; all in all, it would be a simple job for young Kakarot, for even a Saiyan child—when transformed by the light of a full moon—could easily subdue an inferior planet like Earth._

But if Frieza has given orders to send one of us to Earth, _Pare internalized_, then that would mean that he was preparing to expand his territories at _least_ that far… _If that were true, then it would mean that soon, with a large enough force behind him, Frieza would rule over most of the known universe._

_Suddenly the scene shifted, and Pare gasped aloud as he found himself floating alone amidst a sea of stars. Panic gripped him as his hands flew to his chest, his lungs burning as the struggled in vain to take a breath. After what felt like an eternity, Pare finally felt his body giving out, and he closed his eyes tightly as his vision blurred and darkened._

This is it_, he thought, a grim smile slowly stretching across his solemn face. _This is how I'm going to die… _With that this realization, the warrior from planet Vegeta resigned himself to his fate, or so he thought._

_Just before Pare could completely surrender his hold on life, an explosion of warm, golden-yellow energy enveloped him, invigorating and renewing his exhausted body. Somehow, without even turning to look, Pare knew that someone—most likely the source of this indescribable power—was hovering in the void just behind him. Fear gripped the former royal adviser, who had never before witnessed such an overwhelming strength in all of his long life._

"_You have nothing to fear from me," a strong, kind voice spoke, emanating from the mysterious, gold-enshrouded being. "I mean you no harm, friend, for we are one and the same." With these simple words, a calm fell upon Pare, whose trembling body had been paralyzed with terror. The voice continued._

"_Listen to me: you must make a journey, one that will force you through many hardships." The voice paused for a moment, prompting Pare to slowly turn around, bringing the glowing stranger directly into his field of vision. What he saw caused him to cry out in shock._

"_Ba… Bardock!"_

"_Not quite, my friend," the stranger replied with a lop-sided grin, and upon further inspection, Pare realized that his assumption had perhaps been too hasty._

_The resemblance between this incredibly powerful young man and the third class warrior Bardock was indeed uncanny: both shared the same distinctive hairstyle, as well as the same facial structure and physical build. This stranger, though, was clad in a uniform of orange and dark blue that was entirely alien to Pare._

_And there was, of course, the definite difference in power._

"_Listen, I don't have much time," the orange-clad warrior continued, his features shifting from wry amusement to a look of stern impatience. "I've come to you across time, across space and reality to give you this message: You have to leave, Pare. Leave Iquela and make the journey to Earth. If you leave quickly, you may find others like yourself, people who share your blood and your proud Saiyan heritage."_

"_You are Kakarot!" Pare blurted out, his dark eyes widening with disbelief. "And there are others, you say?"_

"_Listen!" the stranger shouted, causing ripples to course throughout his flickering aura of golden light. "The people of Earth are in danger, and they don't even know it yet! In barely ten years' time, a terrible darkness will be brought into being, and the Earth and every living thing on it will suffer for years to come, Pare! Go to them, _now_; give them what aid you can or the Saiyan race will be no more, do you understand me?"_

"_Very well," Pare said softly, his voice subdued. "Hanzo and I will—"_

"_No, Pare," the Saiyan, Kakarot, broke in. "Your son has his own part to play, and it lies along a different path than yours." He shook his head, floating forward to lay his hand gently upon Pare's shoulder. "You must make this voyage alone."_

"_Yes," Pare replied with a nod of understanding. "I must go alone…"_

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The pod was still functional.

Pare sat in the small craft's only seat, his hands awkwardly working the controls that had once been so familiar to him. Through the open hatch, the Saiyan warrior could see the sky darkening as a storm, common during this season, began to blow in from the south. As the patter of rain fell against the rounded top of the space pod, Pare made his final confirmations before exiting and floating slowly into the air.

_So it _will_ still fly_, he thought, feeling a mixture of relief and despair. _For so long Kiera and I stayed here, afraid that if we left Frieza would find and kill us… But now it seems that if I _don't _leave, then any last trace of the Saiyan race will be wiped out. And I must leave my son, my only child, behind…_

Pare wasn't _really_ worried about Hanzo that much, for the boy was tremendously powerful, and a great hunter and fighter as well. All his short life, the child had been taught the ways of the Saiyans by his father, and he would have no trouble staying alive on Iquela, at least until Pare could return for him.

_And I will, I swear it…_

As the exhausted Saiyan made his way back to the shelter, the storm broke around him, filling the sky with jagged bolts of lighting, pelting sleet, and winds powerful enough to blow even a powerful warrior like Pare off track. Yet the storm without was nothing compared to the turmoil of emotions that the former adviser was suffering within.

_Kiera, we worked so hard… So hard to bring our Hanzo into this world, and now I learn that I must abandon him for the sake of our people._ As he flew, Pare clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palms and drawing blood. _And what if I'm wrong, and these dreams _aren't _some kind of portent after all? Will I be abandoning our child for nothing at all then?_

"_Your son has his own part to play, and it lies along a different path than yours,"_ Kakarot's voice seemed to echo within Pare's mind. And what if he was right? What if Hanzo _did_ have some larger, important role to play, and he would only be set upon the right path if Pare went through with _his_ part in the grand scheme of things?

_Very well then, Kakarot_, Pare resolved, clenching his teeth as he lowered himself down into the valley that served as home for Hanzo and himself. _I put my trust in you…_

_And pray that I have not been deceived._

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Hanzo remained silent.

"But… But why can't I go with you?" the boy stammered, doing his best to hold back the tears that were lying just below the surface. "I'm strong too, Father; I could help you, I know I could!"

"This is far too dangerous for you, Hanzo," Pare replied, adjusting the vest of the shoulder-less Saiyan armor that he hadn't worn since landing on Iquela two decades earlier. "Frieza may still have men searching for any Saiyan survivors, and while I'm willing to risk my own life on this quest I'll not have my only son die as well." The former adviser to King Vegeta threw a long, dark cloak over his armor and turned to face his son. "If I fail in this, Hanzo, then it will be up to you to avenge our people, do you understand?"

Hanzo nodded, a single tear running down his left cheek.

"You must continue your training, Hanzo," Pare continued, placing a strong hand upon his young son's trembling shoulder. "You must push yourself to the limit; you _must_ become the strongest of us all. Stronger even than I, son." Silence followed this last statement, as Pare struggled to find something else to say, anything that might make this separation easier for Hanzo to bear.

"Father I… I _will_ become stronger," Hanzo said, breaking the silence finally. "I will be the most powerful warrior in the universe, and Frieza himself will kneel before me, begging for his life." A strange light seemed to enter the boy's eyes, and for a moment Pare saw the promise of tremendous strength and potential from his son.

"I have no doubt of that, Hanzo. No doubt at all." _I can't explain it, but somehow I know that he's right_, Pare thought proudly. _He's going to be stronger than all of us…_ "Hanzo," the armored Saiyan warrior said, once again breaking the tense silence that had fallen between them, "when this is over, I'll come back for you. You have my word."

"Of course, Father."

Finally, knowing that it was now or never, Pare entered the small space pod, prepared to embark upon this quest that had been entrusted to him in a dream, by a warrior whom he'd never met, from a planet that he'd never before laid eyes on. Suddenly, Pare desperately hoped that he wasn't on some fool's errand.

_No_, he told himself as the spacecraft's hatch closed with an ominous hiss. _It was more than just a dream… It was a vision, it had to be! I will find planet Earth, and with it, I will find my people._

The pod shuddered slightly as it lifted off, and as it shot high into the sky, becoming little more than a speck of light in the distance, Hanzo wept.

_To be continued…_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_**Coming soon:**_

_**Pare embarks upon the journey that will ultimately determine the fates of **_**two**_** universes! His journey takes him across the universe, and leads to encounters with both new friends and old foes alike, but what will happen when his space pod malfunctions above a powerful and potentially hostile world?**_

"_**Survivor (Pare's Tale)"**_

_**PART THREE:**_

_**JOURNEY**_


	3. Part Three: Journey

"Survivor

"**Survivor."**

**(Pare's Tale)**

– **A "Chaotic Future" Side Story –**

**PART THREE:**

**JOURNEY**

The ship cut through the darkness of space.

Pare's eyes snapped open as a series of flashing red lights illuminated the inside of his small space pod. He leaned forward slightly, reaching out with a white-gloved hand to press the button that seemed to be the source of the still-flashing emergency light. A moment later, the mechanized voice of the pod's computer system spoke.

"_There is a ship dead ahead. Shall I take evasive action_?"

_A ship?_ Pare thought, absently rubbing his chin. _It's been month's since I left Iquela, and this is the first time I've stumbled across anyone else… I wonder who else would be this far out?_ His pondering was interrupted as the computer repeated its query.

"Can you get a visual on it?" Pare asked, stretching as much as possible within the confines of the small craft. "If so, I want to see it; bring it up on the main monitor."

Within seconds of this order, the small view screen directly in front of the Saiyan warrior lit up, showing large, round ship speeding along through the void of space. Pare immediately recognized the massive spacecraft for what it was, and he involuntarily cried out in shock.

_This is one of Frieza's ships!_ he thought frantically. _Could it be that, even after all these years, that maniac is _still_ searching for us, searching for any survivors?_ Pare could feel the sweat beading on his forehead, running down his face and the back of his neck as his body began to tremble. _I… I should have never left… I should have stayed hidden, I'm not strong enough to take on Frieza!_

"_Shall I perform a scan of the unidentified ship, Lord Pare_?" the computer asked, snapping the dark-haired warrior out of his state of shock. "_Lord Pare_?"

"Fine, scan the ship for life forms, and be sure to look for power readings as well." _Just because this is one of Frieza's ships, that doesn't necessarily mean that Frieza himself is onboard. Get a grip, Pare!_ He shook his head, wondering at his own state of panic. After several moments of ominous silence, the computer system spoke once more.

"_I detect six life forms aboard the unidentified ship. None of said life forms possess sufficient power to defeat you in battle in your current condition_." The computer went silent once again, but only for a brief moment before it continued. "_Also, I have just received a transmission from the unidentified ship. They command us to shut down all systems and allow them to take us aboard for questioning. They warn that should we continue on our present course without heeding their command, we shall be dealt with harshly._"

"And you're absolutely sure that Frieza himself is not aboard that ship?" Pare asked, his mind racing.

"_Affirmative. There is no trace of Lord Frieza's power signature among those aboard_."

_So, this must just be some kind of patrol ship then_, Pare internalized. _Frieza's sphere of influence must have grown a lot over the last twenty-five years; this was way beyond his control when Kiera and I fled planet Vegeta…_ Suddenly, another thought sprang to Pare's mind: _If the computer is correct, and no one on that ship is my equal in strength…_ He smiled maliciously as he considered his options.

"Computer, do as the transmission requested. Shut down all power and prepare to be taken, understood?"

"_Yes sir. Understood._"

_Kakarot, I know that I promised you I'd journey to Earth with all haste… But I must take this opportunity to exact what small vengeance I can for my people!_

All power to the space pod's interior was cut, and Pare was left in darkness as his ship began to drift, awaiting capture from the poor fools aboard Frieza's ship. Pare smiled to himself once again.

_They're doomed_.

--

Pare exited the pod.

It took the Saiyan warrior a moment to gain his bearings, so long had it been since he'd left his small spacecraft, but when he did so, he found himself standing within a fairly large, well-lit chamber. The next thing he knew, Pare had five energy blasters pointed at him, and a rough voice commanded him to raise his hands above his head; it took all of his self-control to act cowed, when in reality he was dying to tear his would-be captors apart. One of the soldiers stepped forward, roughly pulling Pare's arms down behind his back and clasping some sort of restraints around his wrists.

There were five in all, four of whom were attired in the standard uniform of Frieza's private army: cheap imitation Saiyan armor, white boots and gloves, and white, semi-conical helmets. The fifth, though, was attired differently, and it was obvious that he was the authority on this ship. This lead soldier was tall, standing perhaps two or three inches taller than Pare, and he was wearing a pale blue jumpsuit and vest of Saiyan armor. His skin was purple and reptilian-like, covered here and there with light pink spots, and two long, sharp black horns protruded from his bald head. A pair of cold yellow eyes narrowed as the commander realized that the Saiyan was studying them.

"Enough!" the purple-skinned soldier shouted, reaching forward to grab Pare by the front of his black cloak. As he did so, the leader cried out in surprise, for the as the cloak parted, he was rewarded with the site of Pare's own vest of armor.

And more importantly, the long, brown tail that the Saiyan had kept wrapped securely around his waist.

"Well, well, what have we here, men?" the commander asked with a chuckle. "Would you look at this, a real live Saiyan!" Slowly, the lead soldier's expression shifted from wry amusement to cruel glee. "Think of the fun that we can have with this guy, eh? I hear these Saiyans are supposed to be strong, but do you think he'd actually stand a chance against any of us, Lord Frieza's elite?"

As the commander went on bantering with his men about their supposed strength and superiority, Pare couldn't have cared less. _My ship's computer said that there were _six_ life forms aboard this vessel_, he thought, ignoring the raucous burst of laughter that erupted from the group of five soldiers; laughter at _his_ expense, more likely than not. _Could this be some kind of ploy, sending these weaklings out to face me, having them _claim_ that they are the elite of Frieza's force?_ If that was the case, then perhaps the mysterious sixth life form was the soldiers' _true_ leader…

"Alright, that's enough fun for now!" the purple-skinned commander said, returning his attention to his Saiyan "captive." "Take him away for now, and we'll deal with him later, when all of us can agree on the best way to make him beg us for his life!"

"Yes sir!" one of the helmeted soldiers responded, keeping his blaster at the ready as he grabbed Pare's arm and began leading him away. Just before exiting the small hangar, the man turned to ask his commander a question. "Should I lock him up with the other prisoner?" he asked.

"Sure, why not?" the lizard-like soldier replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "I don't think we have to worry about them conspiring against us, if that's what you're getting at. Remember, _we_ are the most powerful fighting unit in the universe, now that the Ginyu Force has been destroyed; we have nothing to fear from the two of them." With that the discussion was over, and Pare found himself being led down a long, curving hallway toward what he assumed was the ship's brig.

The entire way, Pare found his thoughts focusing on two things: that the Ginyu Force—Frieza's most powerful and loyal servants—had somehow been destroyed, and that he was most likely about to meet that sixth life form…

--

The child cringed.

As light from the corridor flooded the small, dark cell, the small shape of the boy scurried into the corner, shielding his eyes with his arms as he trembled uncontrollably. Pare waited at the entrance for a moment, unable to move despite the prodding of the soldiers behind him. As he had entered, for just a brief instant, the Saiyan warrior had been visited by an odd sensation, something that felt entirely alien to him.

Concern.

_Hanzo…_

The thought struck him as solidly as the blow to the back of the head that finally forced him into the dank, cold holding cell. He fell to the ground as the group of soldiers laughed at him, obviously pleased at themselves for having successfully captured a Saiyan, supposedly one of the most powerful and dangerous races in the known universe. As they left, the door shut securely behind them, leaving the cell in inky darkness.

The sound of soft sobbing caught Pare's attention, and he slowly stood to his feet, studying the child in the corner. In the darkness of the chamber, it was hard to make out many details, but the sharpness of the Saiyan's vision aided him a little. The boy was small, standing only two-and-a-half, maybe three feet tall. He was clothed in little more than rags which hung upon his slim frame; it was obvious that the child was on the verge of starving. Pointed ears, a smooth, bald head, and very pronounced eye ridges were noticeable in the dark, and even though the boy's skin tone could not be judged, Pare instantly knew what it was he was dealing with.

"You're from Namek, yes?" the dark-haired fighter asked, crossing his arms over his vest of armor. The child sniffled once and nodded before burying his face in his hands again. "I've never seen a Namekian before, though I've heard much about your kind." Silence again, punctuated only by the soft weeping of the young captive. "How did you come to be here?"

"I… my planet was…"

"Was what?" Pare prompted, walking closer to stand over the trembling child. "You have nothing to fear from me, Namek. It seems that you and I are in the same boat at the moment." _Though only for the moment_, Pare silently added, casting a wicked glare toward the closed door, envisioning all of the well-deserved horrors that he would visit upon his would-be captors. Finally, the boy continued.

"Soldiers came to my planet," he said softly, a distant look of sadness evident in his wide eyes. "They began slaughtering my village and I…" Tears once again rolled down his cheeks as he lost his composure, weeping quietly in the darkness.

"You were taken by these men?" Pare asked, his mind spinning. _These are Frieza's soldiers, of that there's no doubt. What could that murderous bastard have wanted with planet Namek, anyway? From all that I've heard, there isn't anything there deserving of _Frieza's_ attention…_ A thought occurred to him, some fragment of a memory. _The legendary balls of Namek?_ he wondered, in awe. _Could Frieza really believe that stupid legend? What a fool…_

"Listen, boy," Pare said, returning his concern to the matter at hand. "What is your name?" He was surprised that he'd asked such a question. Honestly, what difference did it make? It wasn't as if he was interested in having a little chat with the child, was he? Could he really be feeling sorry for the little Namek? Further musing was interrupted as the boy spoke up.

"Clef."

"My name is Pare, and I'm not going to hurt you," Pare continued, forcing the disturbing emotions from his mind. "I'm going to go and have a word with our friends out there, do you understand?" Clef nodded, but the look of confusion in his eyes showed that he had no idea what Pare truly intended. "Good. You stay here; don't come out, no matter what you hear, okay?" Again the child nodded understanding, and Pare moved to stand before the cell's only door. As the black-cloaked Saiyan began to gather energy into his now-outstretched hand, he looked over his shoulder, sparing a slight smile of reassurance to the frightened young boy.

"Cover your eyes, Clef."

--

An explosion rocked the ship.

"Are we under attack?" the purple-skinned commander asked, jumping up from his seat in the ship's main control room. "Bring it up on the main screen!" he shouted, his subordinates running to and fro, obviously in a panic.

"Sir," one of them replied shakily. "The explosion originated _inside_ the ship! It must be—" Before he could finish the thought, a piercing beam of scintillating blue energy shot through the room's thick, heavily armored door, catching the soldier in the chest and killing him instantly despite the protection offered by his vest of armor.

Instantly the doors exploded inward with a flash of light, and a blur of movement shot inside the chamber, making its way toward the nearest soldier, who died silently before he even knew that he was under attack. A burst of blue light followed, and across the control room another enemy was taken out.

_That leaves just two more_, Pare thought, grinning wolfishly as he spun about, searching for his next target. A volley of weak, yellow-orange energy blasts assailed him from behind, striking him squarely in the back and knocking him forward without doing any real damage. He turned quickly, clenching his left fist and deflecting the remaining blasts with a backhanded blow. Another of Frieza's lackeys stood there in shock, obviously having expected his handheld energy blaster to be powerful enough to destroy the vengeful Saiyan. Pare leapt forward, charging a substantial amount of ki into his right fist as he lashed out with a powerful strike to the soldier's jaw, killing him and nearly removing his helmeted head from his shoulders.

"Saiyan scum!" the commander shouted, taking up an offensive stance and calling upon an impressive amount of energy. An aura of pale purple light sprang up around the reptilian-like warrior as he prepared to launch an all or nothing assault against Pare, who stood calmly in the center of the chamber, his body shifting lazily into a defensive posture. With a roar of hatred, the lead soldier threw himself at Pare, covering the distance between them in a fraction of a second.

At the last moment, just before contact was made, Pare crouched down, thrusting his white-gloved hand upward to catch his opponent just below the rib cage. The strike was thunderous, shattering the suit of imitation Saiyan armor and forcing the commander's eyes to bulge from their sockets and his long, forked tongue to loll comically from the corner of his mouth. A fount of dark purple blood spewed forth from that same mouth as Pare absently tossed the soldier aside with disgust.

Silence now dominated the chamber, and Pare took a brief moment to dispose of the bodies, turn each of them into a pile of ash with several well-placed blasts of energy. Finally, with his job finished, the dark-eyed Saiyan made his way calmly back to the holding cell, reentering through the still-smoking hole where the door had once been.

"Clef, it's safe to come out," he said, walking over to crouch down before the child. "Come on, take my hand." Again Pare was surprised by the caring tone of his voice, but he reached out his hand anyway, waiting for the young Namekian to take it. Finally Clef did so, and Pare escorted the frightened child back to the ship's command center.

"Listen," Pare said upon entering and sitting the boy down in the commander's seat. "I have to leave, Clef, I'm on a very important mission. Before I go, though, I'll set this ship's autopilot for Namek, and soon you'll be home." Seeing the look of sadness that crossed Clef's face, Pare continued. "There's no need to be frightened, Clef. This is one of Frieza's ships; no one out there will dare attack you. You'll be home in no time, okay?"

"You don't understand," Clef replied quietly, drawing his knees up under his chin and wrapping his arms around his legs. "I have no home to return to, Mr. Pare." He clenched his eyes shut, trying in vain to prevent the flood of tears that now poured endlessly down his dark green cheeks.

"What are you talking about?" Pare asked, fearing that he already knew the answer.

"I heard those men talking… They said that planet Namek was destroyed just a few days ago." Clef sniffled again, wiping his tears on the sleeve of his tattered shirt. "All of my people are dead, Mr. Pare… I have no place to go."

For a moment, Pare once again found himself feeling sorry for the child, whose terrible tale was so very similar to his own. Walking over to the chair, Pare knelt down before the young Namekian, placing a comforting hand upon his shoulder. No words came at first, as Pare found himself surprisingly overcome with emotion. _What's wrong with me today, anyway?_ he wondered, his thoughts tinged with dark humor. _I think I'm getting soft…_

"I'd take you with me if I could, Clef," Pare said, the truth of his own admission disturbing to him. "But I have to go alone, and it's far too dangerous for a child like you." He squeezed Clef's trembling shoulder reassuringly before standing and moving toward a control panel. "There's a planet not too far from here. I'll set the ship's autopilot for there. Once you arrive, I'm sure you'll be able to find someone who can take care of you."

"But what am I supposed to do, Mr. Pare?" Clef asked mournfully. "All my friends are dead, my race is gone!" He broke down once again, his sobs echoing throughout the large control chamber. "What am I supposed to do!"

"Listen to me, Clef," Pare said, perhaps more stern than he had intended. The boy looked up, locking eyes with his Saiyan savior, and for a moment Pare glimpsed a great power slumbering somewhere within this sobbing, frightened boy. "Clef," the survivor from Vegeta continued, "there's only one thing that you can do: you _must_ find your own reason for living. When you do that, _then_ you'll know what you're supposed to do with your life."

With that, Pare entered the coordinates for the nearest planet. Without a word, he walked purposefully across the chamber, stopping only when he reached the blasted-through exit. Turning to face Clef, Pare smiled.

"Goodbye, Clef. Trust me, everything will work out. You have a lot of potential, even if you don't know it. Someday, you'll do great things."

"Do you really mean it?" the child asked, his eyes now dry of tears.

"I mean it."

Leaving the young Namekian behind him, Pare returned to the small hangar where his pod was being held, prepared to continue on his mission to the Earth. A mission that, despite everything told to him by Kakarot in his vision, Pare still doubted would be a success.

_To be continued…_

_--_

_**Coming soon:**_

_**Pare's ship crash lands on a hostile planet! Injured and alone, will the Saiyan warrior be able to evade his Galdrian pursuers, or will his quest finally be ended for good? Luckily for him, help will come from the most unlikely of sources in an event that will change the fate of EVERYTHING!**_

"_**Survivor (Pare's Tale)"**_

_**PART FOUR:**_

_**STAR-CROSSED**_


	4. Part Four: Star Crossed

"**Survivor."**

**(Pare's Tale)**

– **A "Chaotic Future" Side Story –**

**PART FOUR:**

**STAR-CROSSED**

The Saiyan space pod screamed through the air.

Pare's eyes snapped open as his space pod was rocked violently as it tore through the atmosphere of the planet below. Through the circular window before him, the Saiyan warrior could see a riot of colors: flashing yellows, brilliant oranges, and, most of all, terrible streaks of burning red. The temperature inside the pod became almost too much to bear, and Pare found himself struggling not only to remain conscious, but to simply breathe as well. Each breath that he took filled his gasping lungs with fire.

_The ship's lost all power!_ he realized, his mind beginning to cloud from panic and pain. _But how? Why? Everything was working fine, this doesn't make any sense!_ Before he could even attempt to fix the problem with his pod, a blinding flash of white light poured in through the window, causing the Saiyan to cry out in shock. The tumultuous shaking of the small, spherical pod ceased, replaced instead by a gut-wrenching sensation of falling through the air.

_I've broken through the atmosphere_, he realized, relief overtaking his trembling body. It took him only a moment to realize the dangerous situation that he was no in, though: with no power, Pare had no way to control the trajectory of his craft; he was falling helplessly, unable even to deploy the emergency parachutes in the back of the pod that could potentially slow his descent enough to save his ship, and his life.

Further introspection was interrupted as another violent jolt tore through the spacecraft. Unlike the constant motion of entering the atmosphere, though, this was a single, jarring crash unlike anything that Pare had ever experienced before. Just before blacking out, the black-cloaked survivor of planet Vegeta's destruction realized what that sensation heralded:

Impact.

--

The young woman watched in silent awe.

Standing slowly to steady herself after being tossed to the ground by the quaking terrain beneath her feet, she peered through the cloud of dust that had been kicked up by the impact, straining to see anything amidst the chaos of dirt and debris. She coughed, covering her mouth with the back of her left hand as she used her right to shield her eyes—which glowed purple in the sudden storm of dust—as fragments of stone and dirt struck her pale face.

_That was a ship!_ she thought, her excitement at having witnessed such a thing immediately replaced by worry for any of the passengers on board that may have survived. _I should go get help… No, maybe not,_ she argued with herself, biting her bottom lip, a nervous habit that she'd had since she was a little girl. _If I take the time to return to Valdis, it may be too late!_ With that thought, the young, blue-haired woman made her way quickly through the now-settling cloud of debris, gasping as, barely a dozen yards from where she'd been standing before impact, a massive crater loomed in the ground before her. _I must have been tossed further back than I'd thought_, she realized, rubbing at the sore spot on the back of her head. As her vision cleared, something at the bottom of the crater caught her attention.

_Is that…?_

Before she knew it, the purple-eyed young woman found herself sliding down the slope toward the spherical spacecraft that rested embedded in the ground at the bottom of the impact zone. Ignoring the damage being done to her once-fine robes of violet and sky-blue silk, she eventually made her way to the still-steaming pod. Upon seeing the craft, the woman gasped in disbelief.

_This is a Saiyan ship_, she realized, her shimmering eyes widening in shock. She had never _actually_ seen such a space craft, but throughout her life she had heard more than enough stories, and seen more than enough pictures, to recognize the pod for what it was. The young woman also knew her duty as a Galdrian noble: any evidence of contact with the Saiyan race was to be reported immediately to the authorities, lest the Galdrians find themselves caught off guard again should the Saiyans return to continue their former war.

Though more than five hundred years had passed, her people still remembered the brutal war that had been fought against the invaders from planet Vegeta.

Curiosity struggled against her sense of duty as the blue-haired noblewoman walked a slow circle around the now-cooling space pod. She reached out, tentatively touching her fingertips to the craft, instantly pulling her hand back with a cry of pain and surprise, for the surface was still quite hot. She knelt before it, her throbbing fingers in her mouth as she peered deeply into the space pod's single, circular window. Inside, the noblewoman could barely make out the figure of a man, though his features were too obscured by the smoky glass to tell whether or not he lived.

Standing to her feet once again, the purple-eyed woman made her decision. Backing away up the slope as far as possible, she thrust both hands forward, her eyes flashing with power as a bolt of flickering, amethyst-colored energy shot from her outstretched hands to collide with the space pod, kicking up yet another cloud of debris and dust. Immediately after firing off the attack, the young woman slid back down the wall of the crater, reaching the ship and gasping as she broke through a wall of thick, black smoke.

The front of the spherical pod had been completely blown away, revealing the space craft's single inhabitant. As she had thought, it was a man: sun-bronzed skin, night-dark, spiky hair, and clad in a nearly all-concealing black cloak. He was quite handsome, she was forced to admit, and as she moved in closer, the mysterious man groaned and shifted, allowing the front of his cloak to fall open. The woman gasped as she noticed his armor and, more importantly, the tail wrapped tightly about his waist.

That left no doubt. A Saiyan had once again come to planet Galdria.

Once again Ellia felt a battle raging within herself as her duties as a member of the royal family warred against her own sense of curiosity and desire. Her musing was cut short, though, as the Saiyan's eyes suddenly shot open, locking with hers. They were dark and pain-clouded, bloodshot, and wide with confusion and fear, but in them the blue-haired woman sensed something else. In this man, she could sense desperation, and the fear she saw in his eyes wasn't the fear of injury, or of being alone in a strange place; to her, it seemed as if this man was filled with worry that, if he died now, he'd be leaving some great task unaccomplished, some important quest left unfulfilled. Those dark, pleading eyes struck the young woman to her core, and as the Saiyan once again lapsed into unconsciousness, her internal battle was over.

Bending down to shoulder the weight of the man over her shoulder, the slight noblewoman slowly took to the air, struggling with her burden. After finally reaching a safe height, she tore off to the north with a streak of light, toward the small country home that had been in her family for generations. There this mysterious Saiyan would be safe to recover.

_At least_, she corrected herself, _as long as I can keep him hidden…_

--

Time passed.

Days turned to weeks as the Saiyan—who the noblewoman learned was named Pare—recovered, and weeks turned to months. His wounds were healing, though slowly, as if the planet itself was loath to let this Saiyan recover, and soon it was hoped that Pare would be fully restored to his old strength. And, surprisingly, during all that time no one in the nearby capital city of Valdis learned of Pare's existence. Once or twice a week the woman, Ellia, would venture into Valdis so as not to alert anyone that something strange was occurring on her estate, and she would visit with her relatives, most notably, of course, Emperor Gilliam and Empress Pheris, her cousins. Somehow she was able to maintain an illusion of calm and serenity—though she had no idea how—and no one thought that anything was amiss.

Each and every time that Ellia dined with Gilliam and his wife, she was filled with a sense of dread that something would slip, and Pare's existence would become known to them. For the situation now was far more dire than ever it had been, and Ellia understood with dread certainty exactly what was at stake: she and Pare had, over the course of the past several months, become lovers.

The transition had been completely natural. Neither he nor she had felt uncomfortable, nor had there been any pressure from one side or the other; rather, their relationship had grown into a comfortable, strong bond between one strong, independent person and another. A trust had grown between the two of them, and Ellia and Pare had come to know one another very well, though the Saiyan still kept much of his past private, and Ellia knew better than to pry; Pare would confide in her when the time was right, and not before.

This change in their relationship had also brought about an entirely new dilemma, though. Pare had told Ellia briefly about his mission, and how it was imperative that he reach Earth as soon as possible. The problem was, however, that Pare's ship had been completely annihilated after the crash, and there was no convincing way for Ellia to procure a Galdrian ship from the imperial space port. Such a move would raise far too many questions, after all. The two of them had agreed, though, that getting off of Galdria was paramount, for should their relationship be exposed, it would mean certain death for them both.

Unfortunately for the two lovers, their time was running dangerously short…

--

Ellia entered, ashen faced.

Pare sat up erect in the bed, the smile that he'd been preparing for his beloved fading instantly from his features as he realized that something was wrong. He left the bed slowly, his head spinning a little and his legs still feeling weak despite the months he'd had to recover.

_Curse this planet_, he though, not for the first time.

"What's wrong?" the Saiyan warrior asked, though the moment the question left his lips, a dark understanding swept over him. "They know, don't they?" The question was rhetorical, and before receiving an answer, Pare was already moving about the small bedchamber, dressing himself and gathering together anything that looked worthwhile.

Ellia's hand on his shoulder caused him to pause as she spoke. "There's still time, Pare," she said softly, her voice trembling with fear. "They've only _just_ found the remains of your pod, nothing more. We still have some time to prepare."

"How? How did they find it?"

Ellia was silent for a moment before speaking. "The area you came down in was in the province of Adean, a duchy loyal to the royal family. To be honest, we're lucky it went unnoticed for as long as it did, for Adean is typically very well maintained and patrolled." She shook her head, trying to focus her thoughts and get back to the subject. "Anyway," she continued, allowing Pare to wrap his arms around her as she rested her head against his chest, "the Duke of Adean discovered the crash site two days ago, and brought it immediately to the attention of Gilliam. A full-scale search will be conducted, I'm sure, but they'd not think to look here. They've no reason to suspect me," she added, trying to hide the doubt in her voice.

"Why were you there?" Pare asked, kissing Ellia atop her head. "You said that area was controlled by a Duke, right? From what you've said, you have a pretty decent sized estate here, so why were you on Adean's land?"

"Gilliam sent me there to spend some time with the Duke," Ellia replied, looking up at Pare with a faint smile. "The Duchess died just a couple years ago, and it was thought that I would be a fitting wife for him. He has a young son, Galian, who has apparently been quite a handful..." She stepped away from the dark-eyed Saiyan and shrugged. "I was on my way home from a rather awkward and altogether boring stay with the good Duke."

Pare laughed. "How fortunate for me then, that the only sane person on this godforsaken planet just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I'd say I'm extremely lucky, Ellia…"

"Luck had nothing to do with it, my love," she said, once again melting into his strong embrace. "We were star-crossed…"

--

The Emperor listened intently.

As Lestan, the crimson-haired Duke of Adean finished, Gilliam spoke. "So you've found nothing then?" he asked, his eyes flashing with anger. "Do you truly understand what is at risk here? If there is a Saiyan loose upon our world, who can say how much damage he could do before being brought to justice?" Gilliam stood and marched purposefully down the stairs that separated the royal dais from the rest of the Great Hall.

"I mean no disrespect, my Emperor, but the pod we found was only big enough for one passenger, and it was severely damaged as well." Lestan paused, waiting to see what effects his words would have upon the Emperor. "So even if the Saiyan survived, which itself is highly unlikely, it is only _one_ man or woman. And honestly, my Lord, what harm could one Saiyan—who is most likely injured, might I add—really do?"

Gilliam became somber, and his voice was cold and low when he finally spoke once again. "How much of our history do you know, du Adean? How much of the war against the invading Saiyans have you read about, or learned about?"

"Little, my Lord," Lestan admitted, keeping his yellow-gold eyes downcast. "Only what was taught me by my tutors. I know that the war raged on for years, and that the Saiyans were an enemy unmatched in strength and ferocity. I have been told that, were it not for the actions of Torin Eramus, wielder of the legendary Heaven's Wrath power, we most likely would have been unable to repel the enemy." He stopped as Gilliam approached, swallowing the lump in his throat. Lestan had never been particularly comfortable around the Emperor, a feeling perhaps caused by the fact that, in ages past, the du Adean family had been involved in no small number of attempts to dislodge the ruling de Galdris in order to establish themselves as the new royal family.

"Then allow me to expand upon your education, my good Lord Lestan," Gilliam said. "It wasn't so much an _army_ of Saiyans who attacked us as it was more of an… advance force." At this Lestan perked up, for what he was hearing was most likely information kept secret by the royal family over the last five-hundred or so years. Gilliam continued. "Eight-hundred Saiyans landed on our world, to survey it, and to gauge our power. It is believed that they were to take as much ground as they could hold and then await the arrival of a much larger force. Against these eight-hundred Saiyans my grandfather sent fifteen-hundred of our strongest warriors, in hopes that with such an overwhelming force the enemy would be quickly eradicated.

"And?" the Duke of Adean prompted when Gilliam stopped, lost, it seemed, in thought.

Gilliam glared at Lestan, obviously displeased by the interruption. The Duke stammered a half-hearted reply as Gilliam finally went on. "_And_ all fifteen-hundred of our soldiers were killed, to a man. We have no official reports, but it's said that only seventy Saiyans were killed in the battle. _Seventy_." Lestan was stunned, and as such remained silent. "We kept sending wave after wave against them, and time and time again we were defeated. Their strength was staggering, and then, as if things needed to be any worse, we learned of the Saiyans' true power. Just weeks after their arrival, there was a full moon."

"I fail to see the significance of—"

"Interrupt me again and it will be the last mistake you ever make!" Gilliam shouted, taking a menacing step toward du Adean. The two guards at the Great Hall's entrance prepared to come forward, but were halted by an upraised hand of their Emperor. When he spoke again, his voice was calm once more. "The light of a full moon allows a Saiyan to transform into their true form; a giant, bestial creature of unimaginable power." Gilliam shook his head. "This went on for some time: we would fall back and lose hundreds as they rampaged, then after they reverted we would strike and win back some ground, and they would retaliate and we would find ourselves on the run once again. Over and over, for years this pattern continued until Eramus managed to deal them such a critical blow that they were forced to retreat from our world." He gazed directly into Lestan's golden eyes, as if trying to impart some small portion of the alarm that gripped him. "So yes, I _am_ worried about the damage that even _one_ Saiyan could cause. I pray you are worried as well." He climbed the stairs and returned once more to his throne, brushing aside a few errant strands of his dark green hair. "Now, I implore you to remember anything, to _think_ of anything that may aid us in finding and destroying this monster…"

Duke Lestan began to sweat as he tried to think of something to tell his ruler. He clenched his eyes shut and flexed his fingers over and over, searching his mind for anything that may be of assistance. _What a fool I am_, Lestan thought to himself for what must have been the hundredth time since discovering the wreckage. _Had I simply been more observant about the events of my own duchy, I would have known about this incident days, maybe even _hours,_ after it had occurred. My own laziness at patrolling my lands may cost everything!_ A cold fear washed over him as Gilliam continued to stare down at him, unblinking. _And on top of everything else, I've more than likely lost any chance at taking Ellia as my wife. Damn it all!_

Suddenly a thought crossed the nobleman's mind. _Ellia would have been on her way back to her estates on the very day that the pod came down_, he realized. _Surely she must have seen something; it is no secret what route she uses to move between her estate and Adean lands, the very same area where the wreckage was found._ If this were true, than it would mean… _Yes, she must have seen something; there is no way that such a momentous event would go unnoticed by one as intelligent and observant as her. But if that is the case, and she is withholding that information from her cousin the Emperor, it could mean that—_

"I'm still waiting, du Adean," Gilliam said, his voice carrying down from the dais and interrupting Lestan's train of thought. "Well?" he prompted.

"My Lord," the Duke said finally, his voice feeling scratchy and his throat dry. His lips curled into a disconcerting smile as he said, "there is _something_ that has just sprung to my mind…"

"I'm listening."

--

_**To be concluded in:**_

"_**A Price To Be Paid"**_

_**The "Survivor" Epilogue**_


	5. Epilogue: A Price to be Paid

"**Survivor."**

**(Pare's Tale)**

– **A "Chaotic Future" Side Story –**

**EPILOGUE:**

**A PRICE TO BE PAID**

They had come in the night.

Armed men, sent by Gilliam to escort Ellia to the palace, in order to question her about what she may or may not have seen on the day that Pare's space craft had fallen from the sky. Duke Lestan led them and, operating under jealous suspicions of his own, the Galdrian nobleman had simply barged into the country home owned by Ellia, rather than announcing himself and awaiting her permission to enter.

What they found proved his suspicions correct.

Pare had tried to fight them off when they burst into the bedchamber, and even Ellia had taken part in the short but heated struggle. They were outnumbered, though, and Pare had yet to recover fully from his injuries. He was subdued, as was Ellia, and both lovers were separated and taken by force to the imperial palace in Valdis.

Now, days after having been taken prisoner, Pare sat alone in the darkness of the palace dungeon, his head hung low in shame, his arms shackled at the wrists to the cold stone wall. He shifted slightly, gasping in pain due to the numerous wounds that had been inflicted upon him during his capture. He clenched his fists, cursing himself for his inability to stop those who had taken him prisoner, at his inability to protect the one he loved.

He knew, with dark certainty, that he would never see Ellia again. Pare growled in helpless rage as he shut his eyes, her cries still ringing within his mind:

"_No, no! Please, I'm begging you Lestan, don't do this! Just leave us alone, please! Pare! No, _Pare_!"_

Suddenly the Saiyan's eyes snapped open as he felt a sensation on his cheeks that was entirely alien to him. The taste of salt on his lips told Pare what was happening, though he could scarcely believe it: tears ran down his face for only the second time in his life. A bitter smile crept across his bruised face, the tears stinging him as they ran over the open wounds that had been inflicted upon him by those Galdrians who had amused themselves by beating on a helpless Saiyan.

_It's over_, he thought darkly, shaking his head. _It's all over. Forgive me, Kakarot; it looks like I've failed you. Forgive me…_ The tears began to flow in earnest now as he thought about all that he had forsaken in his vain attempt to reach Earth, though one above all else hit him like a blade through the heart:

_Hanzo…_

His son, his only son, would never know his father's fate. Hanzo would never understand Pare's reason for leaving him behind, or all that he'd been through since leaving Iquela; Hanzo would never know about Ellia, or the fact that Pare had been unable to reach Earth. In fact, Pare realized as his stomach twisted, Hanzo would in all likelihood never leave Iquela, for the pod that the former royal adviser had taken on this journey was the only way on or off the distant, backwater planet.

_My son, please… Please forgive me_, he pleaded silently, willing his thoughts across the vastness of the universe toward his child, though he knew it was a vain effort. _I should never have left you alone, Hanzo. I should never have left at all…_

--

Light flooded the cell.

Pare looked up, an icy glare flashing from his dark eyes as he locked gazes with the man who had entered. He recognized him instantly, though nearly blinded by the light from without: tall, with a slim yet powerful build, crimson haired and yellow-eyed, clad in the flowing robes that seemed to be common among Galdrian nobility; the very man who had led the soldiers against Pare and Ellia that night…

_Lestan du Adean…_

The Duke stepped forward and delivered a thunderous backhanded blow to Pare's cheek, causing the Saiyan's head to snap back as flashing lights filled his blurred vision. Du Adean smirked, crossing his arms over his chest as Pare hung limp, held up by only the shackles at his wrists. Lestan knelt before the captive, a sly grin upon his lips as he chuckled quietly to himself. Eventually he stood and began pacing back and forth across the small, dingy dungeon cell.

"I really should thank you, you know," du Adean finally said, coming to a stop across from Pare, who looked up, his face a mask of barely controlled rage.

"Oh?" the Saiyan said, surprising Lestan with his ability to convey an incredible amount of hate, malice, and murderous fury in that one syllable.

"Yes, actually. You see, my stock with the Emperor had fallen considerably in the last several months; you're timely arrival and arrest has once again put me in my Lord Gilliam's good graces." Lestan's grin widened in response to the glare given him by Pare. "In fact, if Ellia's life is spared after all of this madness, I may still ask for her hand." Noting the furious expression on the Saiyan's face, the nobleman continued. "And, with my new status as a national hero, I doubt that even Gilliam himself would raise an objection to our marriage."

"And when is it that you plan on stabbing him in the back?" Pare asked, smiling himself this time as du Adean's expression changed from one of devious confidence to undisguised shock. "Yes, that's what I thought," Pare went on. "I'm not quite so rustic and barbarous as you stuck up bastards might think; I once served our King, and I've seen your type before: a jealous, power-hungry minor noble who's willing to do anything to have control." Lestan took a step back, as if frightened by the fire that had seemed to well up in Pare's eyes. "_Anything_, du Adean. Even commit treason," he paused for dramatic effect, seeing that his words were having quite an impact on the Duke of Adean, "or regicide."

Lestan smiled nervously. "Well, it seems luck is on my side, Saiyan. As it turns out, _I_ will someday come to rule Galdria without the aid of treason _or_ regicide; the Heir to the throne, Gilliam and Pheris' son Dorian, has vanished it seems, leaving the line of succession unclear." The tension faded from the Duke's expression as he went on, sweeping a gloved hand through his long, crimson hair. "If Ellia is spared the death sentence for her part in this, I _will_ have her as my bride—"

"And with her relation to the Emperor, _you_ will be next in line to the throne, as the closest male kin, even if it _is_ only by marriage," Pare finished, realizing where Lestan's plan was heading. "Tell me then: did you orchestrate Dorian's disappearance, or was it truly just dumb luck?"

"Honestly, who can say?" Lestan replied, his smirk telling Pare all that he needed to know. "Space craft have so many little things that can go wrong, of course. A small malfunction, while the Prince was so far from home, could have very easily occurred… I guess we'll never know."

"I guess not."

Du Adean turned his back to Pare as he made his way back to the cell's exit, looking back over his shoulder to speak one last time before he left. "You should enjoy this last night, Saiyan. For tomorrow, you are to be executed." Again that sly, blood-chilling smile crept across his features. "And Lord Gilliam has given _me_ the honor of killing you. I shall enjoy it immensely." Before Lestan exited, Pare called out to the Galdrian nobleman. The Duke looked back once more, narrowing his cold yellow eyes.

"And if Ellia is executed as well?" the Saiyan asked, his eyes locked unwaveringly upon Lestan's own. "How will you take control if she's put to death, and you're unable to marry her?"

"Well," du Adean responded with a shrug, "there's always regicide." With that he left Pare alone in the darkness, the faint echo of his laughter the only sign that the nobleman had been there at all.

--

The sun burned through the early morning mist.

Atop the highest hill just outside Valdis, a ring of Galdrian nobles stood around a kneeling form, held in place by two members of the Royal Household Guard. A cool breeze stirred the assembled Galdrians' nearly uniform long hair, strong enough even to tousle the stiff, short spikes of the Saiyan captive. A figure clad in flowing robes of black and red silk strode forward from his place in the circle to stand before Pare, who looked up defiantly into the face of his executioner.

Lestan smiled. "Saiyan, for your crimes against the royal family, and for the crimes committed on this world by your ancestors, you have been sentenced to death." Reaching into his robes, du Adean pulled out a cylinder of stained redwood, about eight inches in length and carved with intricate symbols. With a flick of his wrist, a long, slightly curved blade of flaring red energy erupted from the end of the cylinder; Lestan shifted his stance, holding the energy saber readily above his head.

Pare seemed oblivious to Lestan, though, as he looked past the nobleman toward the knot of observers behind him. There, shackled and surrounded by Galdrian soldiers, stood Ellia, her face wet with tears as she looked on helplessly. The Saiyan stared deep into her shimmering pink eyes, which were red-rimmed and bloodshot. Slowly, so as not to alert the guards around her, Ellia moved her hands, resting them lightly upon her stomach, her eyes widening slightly as she awaited some reaction of understanding from her lover.

At first Pare was unsure of what she was trying to say, and then suddenly realization dawned on him. Unthinkingly, he attempted to stand to his feet, to run to her, to try and free her from her bonds so that they could escape this place, so they could run away together: Pare, Ellia, and the child growing within her womb. The guards reacted instantly, grabbing the Saiyan roughly by the shoulders and forcing him back to his knees, holding him in place. Pare growled as hot tears sprang from his eyes; tears of sorrow and of helplessness, tears of rage at his inability to act

He clenched his eyes shut, whispering to himself, "My god…"

The blade fell.

--

_Well, there you have it! Thanks for reading "Survivor," the second in a series of short, "Chaotic Future" side stories. I hope you enjoyed this story of Pare, Miura and Hanzo's father, and please be on the lookout for the next installment in the Side Stories series: "Corruption (Hanzo's Tale)," which tells the sad story of Hanzo's transformation from a lonely young boy to the vengeful Saiyan warrior of "Chaotic Future"!_

_Thanks again, _

_AMdG_

_Arius Miura de Galdri_

_--_


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